Has Everybody Heard, Art Zoyd Is The Word

Art Zoyd
Album: Phase IV
Song: Derniére Danse

And the winner for "Most Elitist" popular music ensemble of the modern rock era goes to...drum roll please...Art Zoyd!  Quite a coup for this plucky little band that manages to make several musical genres equally inaccessible.  This, after its surprising runner-up in that ever-popular category, "Most Pretentious," makes Art Zoyd a serious contender year in and year out!

Art Zoyd has an interesting history.  Led by the great Henry Cow, The Rock In Opposition (RIO) movement emerged in the late 70s as a response to the failure of the mainstream music industry to recognize its music as viable, or more to the point as profitable.  Henry Cow, an English ensemble, recruited four other like-minded European bands to join them to form RIO, and together they made music that they dubbed "what the commercial labels don't want you to hear."  Membership in the group was highly selective, based in part upon maintaining "musical excellence," a decision made collectively by the existing band members.  Three other ensembles managed to make the grade over the years, one of which was Art Zoyd.

RIO does not imply a single style of music.  In fact, it is almost obscenely varied in its output, though the exploration of unusual sonorities and textures are commonplace.  Phase IV evokes modern classical music more than anything, though at times it seems to lack scope and perhaps even diligence in this regard.  This lack of rigor renders the music inert, and I must admit that I do not consider it great classical music.  It remains compelling however, due to its willingness to fuse these elements with idiomatic jazz and rock gestures.  It should be noted that "Derniére Danse" is slightly atypical in my opinion; if you want to explore Art Zoyd's music further, please click on this link.

Oh, by the way, Kris introduced me to these guys as well.  I'm beginning to think that he should write this blog.  Damn you, Amundson.